Welsh open sourcerers get language boost

Online techie translator

Korrect is an online dictionary which contains all the translated terms from eight open source Welsh language software developments. Since March last year about 30 open source developers have been working to create a Welsh version of open source desktop applications. The website gives access to an online dictionary of more than 100,000 technical terms. It shows not just the word but also the context it was used in.

This should speed up future translations because developers can check what terms are already in use. Welsh speakers have never had a suite of desktop applications in their own language. Microsoft announced in January this year that it was starting work on a Welsh version of Office.

Kevin Donnelly, co-ordinator of the Welsh translation of KDE, told The Register: "We've got about 30 people working on nine projects across Wales. This online dictionary will speed development - we should have most of a business desktop available in Welsh by this time next year."

Donnelly said that although Welsh has had official recognition for the past ten years it has been ignored by the big software companies. He believes the dictionary will improve the environment for the use of Welsh in computing.